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- Jun 2, 2003
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I did the brakes on my '96 A4 quattro last weekend. Here are a few pictures and some comments under each image:
Here are some of the tools, parts and supplies that I used.
After removing the caliper spring with flat pliers and after popping the covers off the guide pin bushings I unbolted the two guide pins (7 mm "Gary" Allen hex head). The guide pins could be pulled out with needle nose pliers and the caliper could then be pulled off the caliper carrier. The ABS sensor wire was removed from its clip on the caliper.
Mr Wan, please note where the outboard pads had been glued with the adhesive that came on the pads (peel&stick). The red stuff is residue from CRC antisqueal (silicone goop), which I used after once removing the brake pads and caliper to replace a torn piston boot two years ago. The newest version of the same ATE pads do not have the adhesive any more. Instead it is suggested to use nothing or anti squeal paste. I used 'Permatex Ceramic Extreme Brake Parts Lubricant' on the contact surfaces of the pad backing plate and on the guide pins. We'll get to that later.
I needed to rebuild the calipers, because one had been a little sticky lately. A guide bushing had leaked and moisture and dirt had gotten in. I removed the piston, after pulling the pads off, by placing a piece of wood and a thick piece of silicone in the caliper and by pushing on the brake pedal until the piston slowly came out. If one were to be careless, the piston might launch into the neighbor's yard and kill the neighbor. Anyway, the piston came out clean, its boot preventing brake fluid from spilling. I removed the piston completely and drained the brake fluid in an oil change pan.
I had to remove the caliper carrier by unbolting the two large (17mm, I can never remember) caliper carrier bolts. They should be replaced each time and a caliper repair kit comes with new bolts anyway.
The outer layer of one brake hose was torn and I replaced the hoses on both sides. (11 mm flare wrench)
I removed the seal from the brake cylinder with the proper nylon wedge. I removed the old guide bushings and cleaned the caliper. I removed the bleeder screws and cleaned them too. They are now 11.5 years old, but in reasonably good shape. The bleeder screws' threads were greased with VW lithium grease and the screws were reinstalled. The pistons an caliper cylinders were cleaned (2000 grit followed by polishing paste, then cleaned again), greased with VW lithium brake parts grease. The piston boots were placed on the pistons and the boots and the pistons were installed. No brake caliper tool was required. I could push the pistons easily in all the way with very moderate pressure.
The above mentioned old bleeder screw.
Bleeder screw, bleeder screw hole and one of the newly installed guide bushings can be seen here.
I installed the caliper carrier with the two new bolts (125 Nm).
The hub was slightly greased with wheel bearing grease, the rotor was placed on the hub. After clipping the inboard pad into the brake piston ( and placing the outboard pad into the caliper carrier (Ceramic lube on interface carrier/backing plate), the caliper could be placed into position and bolted via the two guide pins (lubed with Ceramic lube) to the brake carrier (7 mm hex/25 Nm). The guide bushing covers were popped in.
Next I hooked up the brake line to the caliper and attached the ABS sensor wire to the clip on the caliper.
Next I bled the brakes, using a combination of pressure bleeder and pumping the pedal. No helper needed. Correct order is of course from the caliper farthest from master cylinder to nearest, so right rear, right left, right front and then left front (shown). The pressure bleeder was removed, brake fluid level was topped off.
The ATE rotors must not be cleaned. They come with a waxy coating that improves the bed-in process.
Wheels were attached and wheel bolts properly torqued (120 Nm).
The bedding in is done by avoiding hard breaking (Good luck!) for the first 125 miles.
The car was test-driven, system was checked for leaks, fluid was checked again. Done. Total cost: $200 for rotors and pads, ca $80 for rebuild kits, grease, lube and brake fluid (Castrol GT LMA DOT4).
Here are some of the tools, parts and supplies that I used.
After removing the caliper spring with flat pliers and after popping the covers off the guide pin bushings I unbolted the two guide pins (7 mm "Gary" Allen hex head). The guide pins could be pulled out with needle nose pliers and the caliper could then be pulled off the caliper carrier. The ABS sensor wire was removed from its clip on the caliper.
Mr Wan, please note where the outboard pads had been glued with the adhesive that came on the pads (peel&stick). The red stuff is residue from CRC antisqueal (silicone goop), which I used after once removing the brake pads and caliper to replace a torn piston boot two years ago. The newest version of the same ATE pads do not have the adhesive any more. Instead it is suggested to use nothing or anti squeal paste. I used 'Permatex Ceramic Extreme Brake Parts Lubricant' on the contact surfaces of the pad backing plate and on the guide pins. We'll get to that later.
I needed to rebuild the calipers, because one had been a little sticky lately. A guide bushing had leaked and moisture and dirt had gotten in. I removed the piston, after pulling the pads off, by placing a piece of wood and a thick piece of silicone in the caliper and by pushing on the brake pedal until the piston slowly came out. If one were to be careless, the piston might launch into the neighbor's yard and kill the neighbor. Anyway, the piston came out clean, its boot preventing brake fluid from spilling. I removed the piston completely and drained the brake fluid in an oil change pan.
I had to remove the caliper carrier by unbolting the two large (17mm, I can never remember) caliper carrier bolts. They should be replaced each time and a caliper repair kit comes with new bolts anyway.
The outer layer of one brake hose was torn and I replaced the hoses on both sides. (11 mm flare wrench)
I removed the seal from the brake cylinder with the proper nylon wedge. I removed the old guide bushings and cleaned the caliper. I removed the bleeder screws and cleaned them too. They are now 11.5 years old, but in reasonably good shape. The bleeder screws' threads were greased with VW lithium grease and the screws were reinstalled. The pistons an caliper cylinders were cleaned (2000 grit followed by polishing paste, then cleaned again), greased with VW lithium brake parts grease. The piston boots were placed on the pistons and the boots and the pistons were installed. No brake caliper tool was required. I could push the pistons easily in all the way with very moderate pressure.
The above mentioned old bleeder screw.
Bleeder screw, bleeder screw hole and one of the newly installed guide bushings can be seen here.
I installed the caliper carrier with the two new bolts (125 Nm).
The hub was slightly greased with wheel bearing grease, the rotor was placed on the hub. After clipping the inboard pad into the brake piston ( and placing the outboard pad into the caliper carrier (Ceramic lube on interface carrier/backing plate), the caliper could be placed into position and bolted via the two guide pins (lubed with Ceramic lube) to the brake carrier (7 mm hex/25 Nm). The guide bushing covers were popped in.
Next I hooked up the brake line to the caliper and attached the ABS sensor wire to the clip on the caliper.
Next I bled the brakes, using a combination of pressure bleeder and pumping the pedal. No helper needed. Correct order is of course from the caliper farthest from master cylinder to nearest, so right rear, right left, right front and then left front (shown). The pressure bleeder was removed, brake fluid level was topped off.
The ATE rotors must not be cleaned. They come with a waxy coating that improves the bed-in process.
Wheels were attached and wheel bolts properly torqued (120 Nm).
The bedding in is done by avoiding hard breaking (Good luck!) for the first 125 miles.
The car was test-driven, system was checked for leaks, fluid was checked again. Done. Total cost: $200 for rotors and pads, ca $80 for rebuild kits, grease, lube and brake fluid (Castrol GT LMA DOT4).
